Washing machine dolly



June 30, 1931. W N 1,812,029

WASIIING MACHINE DOLLY Filed April 24. 1950 chwzzfaz' Foam/a 2 2142102154 22am 7 i 5W 7 (J MW I Moray Patented June 30, 1931 UNITED STATESPATENT oFFica DONALD 1?. WILSON, 0F OMAHALNEBRASKA, AssIeNon' T0 L. M.DECKER 00., on OMAHA,

NEBRASKA wAsnINc MACHINE DOLLY Application filed' April 24,

The object of my invention is to provide a washing machine dolly ofsimple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

vide a washing machine dolly of cast con struction, wherein parts may beformed with irregular surfaces for imparting to the clothes andwaterwithin the washing machine a downward and outward movement and atthe same time an oscillating movement relative to the bottom of thewashing machine tub.

Still a further objectis to provide a dolly construction applicable foruse with an operating mechanism mounted on the under side of the tub andprojecting up into the tub proper, the dolly construction being quicklyand easily removable from the operating mechanism.

Still a further object is to provide a dolly stem of angularconstruction to prevent the wrapping of clothing around the stem.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of. the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Although the invention'i's susceptible of avariety of embodiments, it is unnecessary to fully describe and.illustrate more than one in order to give a full understanding of theinvention. both from its structural and functional standpoints.Accordingly, I have illustrated a preferred and desirable embodiment ofthe invention in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure .1 is a sectional view through a washing machine tub with myimproved dolly shown thereon, parts being illustrated in section. tobetter illustrate the construction.

Figure 2 is a top or plan'view of the dolly by itself taken on the line22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a detail, sectionalv view taken on the line H of Figure 2;and

Figure 5 is an enlarged, detailsectional view of the upper'portion ofthe dolly hub and its assembly.

with a pair of flat sides 1930. Serial 110,446,382.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference character Atoindicate generally a washing machine tub, which in Moreparticularly,it is my object to procludes side walls 10 and a bottom 12. A portion ofthe framework upon which the tub is supported is indicated by thereference character 14.

An'operating mechanism B suitably driven by'an electric motor orotherwise is used for imparting to the dolly agitation or movement. y 1

v Extending upwardly from the operating mechanism B is a drive shaft 16.The drive shaft 16 extends through the bottom 12 of the tub A and it isupon this shaft that my improved dolly is mounted for operation.

Enclosing a portion of the shaft 16 is a sleeve 18. The sleeve 18 is inwatertight connection at its lower end with the bottom 12 .of the tub Aas .at 20;

An enlarged bearing portion 22 is formed upon the'sleeve 18 a slightdistance above the bottom of the tub. The purpose of the enlargedportion will be hereinafter more fully set forth. The sleeve 18terminates short of the upper end of the shaft 16.

The upper end of the shaft 16 is provided as at 24. A bearing headmember 26 is mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 16. The bearinghead member 26 is formed with a central socket or opening, which for aportion of its length is annular and receives the shaft 16 and foranother portion of its length'is substantially rectangular, so 'as toreceive the portion of the shaft referred to by the reference numeral24. The bearing head 26 serves as a means of pose of providing the hub28 open at both ends is to permit ready and easy machining of the partson the inside during manufacturing operations,

The hub is slightlyof greater interior diameter than the sleeve 18.

Substantially near the lower end of the hub 28, I provide a bushing 30.The bushing 30 serves as a bearing and engages the enlarged portion 22of the sleeve 18. The up per end of the hub 28 is slightly contractedand is provided with an opening substantially rectangular in crosssection, soas to receive the bearing head 26, as clearly illus trated inFigures 3 and 5 of the drawings.

The bearing head 26 rests above the upper edge of the sleeve 18. The hub28 is formed with a shoulder 32 which rests upon an enlarged portion orshoulder 34 formed on the bearin head 26.

It will thus be seen that the bearing head 26 and the enlarged portion22 on the sleeve 18 serve to align and position the entire dollyassembly or device.

The tubular portion 28 of the dolly near its lower end is curvedoutwardly and downwardly as at 36. The extreme outward end of suchportion 36 is slightly curved upwardl as at 38. The portions 36 and 38extend ownwardly and outwardly and away from the hub 28 and 'are annularin complete outline as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The purpose of providing the inclined and irregular surfaces 36 and 38is to. impart to the clothes. and water within the washing machine tub10 a movement outwardly or away from the hub 28.

A plurality of radially extending wings 40 are formedupon-the annularportlon of the dolly device and extend upwardly-therefrom.

The actionof the wings 40 as well as the irregular surfaces 36 and 38when the entire device is oscillated is to produce a whirling andoutwardly directed current of water within the tub. The motion of thewater is the bearing head 26 by a screw or the like 50.

The disc 46 forms a watertight seal or connection at the upper end ofthe hub, and at the same time the screw 50 serves to connect the entiredolly assembly together, that is the bearing head 26, the (1150 46 andthe upper end of the hub 28.

It will be noted that-the bearing head 26 when assembled with theupperend of the shaft 16 becomes a unit or portion thereof and that theentire dolly may be removed by simply raising it upwardly away from theshaft 16 and head 26. I

My entire dolly device may be quickly and easily placed in position overthe drive shaft member 26 and 16 and due to the bearin ways aligned and-wedged between the bottom of the dolly and the tub bottom.

It will be noted that the stem or upstanding hub 28 of the dolly isangular in cross section. The specific purpose of this is to create awater action of sufiicient radial forceto work the clothes away from thestem and thereby prevent them from wrapping around it. I haveexperimented and find that a triangular stem accomplishes this purposewith .entire satisfaction.

Some changes may be-madein the arrangement and construction of thevarious parts of my washin machine dolly without departing from t e realspirit and purpose of 4 my invention, and 'it ism intention to cover bym claims, any mod' ed forms of structure or used mechanical equivalents,which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

- 1. A dolly for washin machines comprising a central hub-shaped memberopen at its upper end, a bushing mounted within said hub near its upperend, means for sealing the upper end of said hub, said last means beingfastened to the bushing and serving also to retain said bushing inassembled relationship to the hub, an annular base formed on the hubhaving its upper surface curved downwardly and outwardly, and wingsextending; upwardly from said base. i

2. A dolly for washing machines comprising acentral hub-shaped memberwith a comparatively large annular base, an opening in the upper end ofsaid hub, a bushing in said opening, an enlargement on said bushing toprevent its upward movement relative to the ub, and a cap connected withsaid bushing and engaging the upper end of said hub.

3. A dolly for washing machines comprising a central hub-shaped memberwith a comparatively large annular base, an opening in the upper end ofsaid hub, a bushing in said opening, an enlargement'on said bushing torevent its upward movement relative to the hub, a seat in the upper endof said-hub, and asealing cap coactin with said seat and connected withsaid bushing.

Des Moines, Iowa, August 5, 1929.

- D. P. WILSON.

